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Faizel Patel – 22/08/2021
A City of Johannesburg health worker has been arrested for selling fake COVID-19 negative test certificates to traveller’s for R500.
It is understood the the 28-year-old employee who was stationed at the Parkhurst Clinic was handcuffed on Saturday night after a sting operation which was led by Joburg Mayor Jolidee Matongo together with the city’s Group and Forensic and Investigation Services (GFIS) and the Johannesburg Metropolitan Department (JMPD).
The city’s Lucky Sindane says the healthcare worker who was monitored over a week allegedly sells the fake COVID-19 negative test certificates to people wishing to travel to other countries without conducting the actual test and taking blood samples.
He says people sent their identity numbers to the suspect and after a day received a message from the laboratory indicating that they tested negative for COVID-19.
“We don’t need such people in our system. The country is trying to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and we have such people who are sabotaging our efforts as a country and as a city of Johannesburg.”
In a statement, Joburg Mayor Jolidee Matongo says the selling of fake COVID-19 negative test certificates compromises the whole country.
“We hope that law enforcement agencies will send the suspect to prison for a long time, we need to set an example and send a strong message to people who are doing this.”
Sindane says preliminary investigations have revealed that the suspect is not working along and more arrests are expected as the investigation continues.
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